“We do provide complete care, meaning the surgical facility as well as the professional services are included in what we give to patients. We always aim to provide the highest quality service at the lowest cost for all of Laredoans,” he said.

Having the talent for microsurgery, Hochman moved to Laredo in 1999 after he finished his training at Harvard Medical school in Boston, Massachusetts.

“Twenty years ago when I moved here, it was important to me, as it has been since that time to give care to patients that need help — even if they have no means to afford needed services. All patients with diabetes need to have their eyes examined at least on a yearly basis to make sure that there’s no bleeding in the back of the eyes.

“(Attributed to) a disease called diabetic retinopathy, this can cause blindness if not treated,” Hochman said. “We screen patients for diabetic diseases as well as multiple other diseases, and we do this because it’s the right thing to do.”

He has continuously been doing this free eye clinic and partnering with Mercy Ministries of Laredo for the past 20 years. Hochman said this partnership is convenient because Mercy Ministries of Laredo can perform the logistics of finding patients who could not otherwise afford eye care and could also achieve the logistics of transportation. He added that other patients are always welcome whenever they have their free clinic events.

Alberta Garcia, age 78, first saw Hochman in 2007. Three years later, Garcia had a free surgery performed in both eyes for cataract and glaucoma and has since seen 20/20 vision.

“I have received medical treatment and I am very pleased with it,” Garcia said. “They have always helped me.

“I could barely see before they performed the surgery. My vision was blurry and pretty bad. (Now) I can see people perfectly.”

Issa Arredondo, a nurse from the Mercy clinic, assisted Hochman and patients in the lobby of the eye clinic and has been doing so for approximately 13 years.

“Dr. Hochman does this for our diabetic patients … which are very important for our patients to detect any diseases or complications from their diabetes,” Arredondo said. “If (patients) need follow up treatments, he also helps provide services.

“We like to be here when our patients come because they like to know they’re part of our clinic, we help them fill out the forms if they need it and if they have any questions or issues, we want to be available to help them.”

Arredondo added that at the Mercy clinic they do a lot of education and prevention.

“It’s a big thing over there because in terms of time and money, it costs less to prevent the complications than it does to treat them,” she said. “I don’t know where we would be if we didn’t have (this partnership with Hochman). It’s a much-needed service, especially for diabetic patients. We’re so grateful we’ve been able to be in the partnership for so many years and we look forward to it continuing.”

According to a recent news release, Hochman “is an active volunteer in Laredo who weekly gives his time and services to organizations like Volunteers Serving the Need and Bethany House of Laredo. Every week, Hochman and his family, and staff devote time (from) their week to volunteer.”